This invention relates to dynamoelectric machinery and, more particularly, to an improved rotor assembly for such machinery.
In brushless synchronous motors and generators the main field windings are usually wound around each pole of the rotor and lie within the recess created by adjacent poles. A retaining wedge or cover spans the recess over the main field windings, pole to pole, and retains the windings therein during rotation and hence the retaining wedge must be made with sufficient strength to assure that it does not become separated from the poles and interfere with the rotation and cause a failure of the system.
Since weight considerations are important, especially in high speed aircraft generators, it is desirable to decrease the thickness of the retaining wedge, thereby reducing its weight while at the same time ensuring that the wedge will not separate from the rotor and impact the stator.
We have developed a rotor assembly for a dynamoelectric machine which employs a wedge retention structure which permits thinner covers over the field windings, thereby decreasing the weight of the rotor assembly.